The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1887-05-31
aoRrGINsoft FASHIONS.
Mans and Woma,,'s slavery to tho
Whim's ofthOse H,Gitu Social

siErfgt t4l StQClOnst
In Observing the characteristics and
changes Of fashion 1t Is impossib not
to ridicule them. We may become
familiarized with a present fashion and
50 see nothing preposterous in the at
tire In which humanity may clothe
itself; but when we look back historic
ally to the many devices which have
been used for her occasions we find
abundance of amusement in the records
Of luxurious folly. The queen of
fantasy has been denounced with the
anathemas of the church, stigmatized
with the ridicule of the stage and
apparently crushed by sumptuary en-
actments; but "res,rgam" is written
on her brow and she stalks triumphant
In every age. .,s,ht.i, u.., a.ag,,,.s ..., !
Many of the fashions Of former days
were invented to conceal some deform-
tty Of person. Hoops, cushions, pan
lers and other mOnstrous devices were
substituted to make up for certain un-
Kindness of Nature, who had not graced
all her creatures with the forms to
which they considered themselves en-
titled. Thus patches were invented in
England in the reign Of Edward vi. by
foreign lady, who concealed with one
height was the fashion carried that the
ladies cut their black patches into div
ers grOtesQue forms, such as rings,
crosses, crowns, etc. In a book pub.
lished ut the time the author has pre-
fixed a picture of Virtue and of Vice,
In which virtue is modestly represented
as wearing plain black dress and
hood, with a'kerchief covering her
neck; and Vice with a low-cut dress
wears no 'kerchief over the parts which
modesty should hide, and with face
variously figured with patches most
curiously devised of all manner Of fan
tastical concerts. #
Full-bottomed wigs were invented
by French barber named Duviller for
the purpose of cOncealing a deformity
in the shoulder Of the Dauphin Of
France, and, while the beau monde in
England, wore their hair luxuriant, the
bench and the bar were seen with the
enormous wig, and the physicians ap-
preciated conformity the magical effect
that was paid to 1t by the world.
To hide his ill-made legs, Charles
VII. of France introduced long coats,
reaching to the ground, and Henry,
Duke Of Anjou, wore shoes, whose
points extended fully two feet, to con-
ceal an excrescence on one Of his toes.
So, also, when francis I. was obliged
to wear his hair short on account of
wound he had received on his head, it
became the prevailing fashion Of the
time.
Conceive, if you can, a beau and
belle of the time of Queen Elizabeth,
the beau dressed in his starched doub-
let, his luxurious curls, mmstache and
beard starched to point, his enor-
nous breeches pushed out to most
laughable excess, being stuffed with
wool, hair, feathers, or other light ma
terial-to all OF which was attached a
rapier Of about four feet in length,
sticking about horizontally from his
side; the belle, with standing ruff ris-
ing above her head, her stays or bodice
so long-waisted that it reached to her
knees, with a large hoop farthingale
that extended around her like a capa-
cious tub, making it impossible for her
beau to impress his love upon her
distant lips, and which allowed him
only to come in'contact with extended
hands. Yet such was the dominion
Of fashion that these creatures walked
the earth, not with the commiseration
of mankind, but with the same envy
that the world now looks upon her
disciples who parade together as the
mincing monkey and the divinely
dropping kangaroo. #